Fifth in a series
Re “When Chief First Detected Troubling Signs”
Describing his intentions when he came to Culver City four years ago from Signal Hill, under-siege Police Chief Don Pedersen talked expansion, raising the department’s profile.
“What we have done is try to make the Police Dept. more active on a regional basis,” he said. “The department was not involved outside much when I came here. We are now members of several different task forces.
“We have done things like bringing in the Sheriff’s Dept. to investigate officer-involved shootings as well as the District Attorney’s office. That was a challenge to get people to understand why that should be done. Now it is totally accepted.”
Mr. Pedersen, battling an uprising of indeterminate size and a police union no-confidence vote a month ago, said that “when I got here, it would appear the department was pretty insular.
“We also have tried to bring some technology into the department that we didn’t have. For example, we were probably one of the only agencies in Los Angeles County not to have computers in our police cars. We are just now finishing that up. This is a two-year project that has been a challenge. We have been through this less lethal technology, Lojack and things like that.
“It has been a four-year job getting the department up to speed. That is not to say the department has not done a great job. That is absolutely the case. They have. We needed to get technology onboard and to be smart about the way we operate.”
What was the most disappointing aspect that greeted you in May of ’06?
“There wasn’t anything really disappointing, but there were issues, like some of our processes that needed to be examined, and the way we receive and investigate citizens’ complaints. There was a need to do a better job, so I created the Professional Standards Unit. Basically, it is the internal affairs section in the Police Dept. It was my opinion that a police department of this size should have one.”
During the last seven months, since the unrest spread farther into the open, has it been a different experience for you coming to work, chillier perhaps, because you work in fairly close quarters?
“I just try to stay focused, stay on point. I do what I need to do so we can be the best organization we can be. I constantly look for ‘best practices.’ I try to stay up on current technology, current practices, processes that other departments learn the hard way, so we can institute certain things.
“Coming to work and staying focused. That is what I do. But I will have to tell you really do respect the union’s rights to voice their views on these issues. But my concern, as always, is to put the best interests of the community above that. My focus is on community, keeping the community safe.”
(To be continued)
